ISLAMABAD, March 29: The federal government has completed arrangements to detain and deport a specific category of Afghan citizens following the March 31 deadline for voluntary repatriation.
A high-level meeting, chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, was held on Friday to assess the preparations for repatriating Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders who fail to leave Pakistan by the deadline.
Officials confirmed that all necessary arrangements, including the establishment of holding centers equipped with food and healthcare services, have been put in place.
Minister Naqvi assured that the federal government is closely coordinating with provincial authorities to facilitate the process and pledged full support for its execution.
It was decided that Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry would visit provinces to address any operational issues.
Authorities have also launched a door-to-door awareness campaign and completed the mapping of ACC holders to ensure an organized repatriation.
The ACC, issued by Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), provides temporary legal status to Afghan nationals, but its validity is subject to federal government decisions.
Crackdown and Legal Consequences
A government official confirmed that a crackdown on ACC holders will begin after the deadline. Citizens who rent properties to undocumented Afghan nationals will face legal repercussions, including imprisonment and fines.
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Security forces will conduct search operations to track illegal Afghan residents, whose biometric data will be recorded to prevent future re-entry.
Any fraudulently obtained identity and travel documents will be canceled.
Talks with Kabul Under Consideration
The meeting also led to the formation of a committee to review Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s proposal for engaging the Afghan Taliban in talks on terrorism.
Gandapur has requested formal authorization from the federal government to negotiate with Afghan authorities and has submitted a proposed peace plan to the ministries of interior and foreign affairs.
International Criticism and Government Response
The repatriation initiative is part of the second phase of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program, which commenced in November 2023.
A government directive issued on January 29 also ordered the relocation of Afghan nationals, including those with UNHCR-issued Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, from Islamabad and Rawalpindi by March 31.
Global human rights organizations have strongly condemned the move.
Amnesty International criticized Pakistan’s actions, alleging that Afghan migrants are being harassed, unlawfully detained, and forcibly expelled.
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The organization labeled the deportation plan as “unyielding and cruel,” arguing that it violates international human rights principles, particularly the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they may face persecution.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office, however, dismissed these concerns as “misplaced,” emphasizing that the country has hosted millions of Afghan refugees with dignity for decades, despite receiving minimal international assistance.
